Projects  

Project funding was secured for a number of projects by the RTP and are currently being delivered across the Island.

A number of new projects are currently being developed by the partnership. We are also very open to considering ideas other organisations or individuals might have, please feel free to get in touch if you have a project idea you think the partnership might wish to move forward.

The projects are listed in full in the Rural Transport Action Plan in the publications section but in brief they consist of the following:

Project aim - To co-ordinate existing voluntary and community transport services across the Island, provide a central point of contact for community transport, and develop new community transport services as appropriate.

Update- This project, delivered by the IW RCC through its Optio operation, has now stopped due to a lack of funding to secure future activities. 

Project aim - To investigate travel flows across the Isle of Wight for a number of key journey types. The data is to be used for a variety of purposes including route planning, strategic planning and targeting of transport initiatives.
Update- The RTP worked with the IW Council's Best Value team to take forward this study during 2004/05 as part of a wider review of transport provision on the Island.

Project aim - To reduce the proportion of car trips to work, and facilitate greater social inclusion through improving access to employment and training opportunities. The project is designed to serve two key purposes; to encourage employers to develop travel plans and assist them in this process, and to act as a “transport broker” between employers/employees and transport providers.
Update- The RCC were delivering this project through Optio, however they were unable to secure third year funding and so have closed this project.

Project aim - To facilitate the local community in the Freshwater/Totland/Yarmouth area in identifying transport problems and solutions to those problems, by encouraging co-operative working, providing training and professional assistance where needed to complement and enhance community skills, and providing appropriate resources to allow the local community to undertake high quality research.

Update- With support from Leader + and the RTP’s Delegated Fund this project has produced the West Wight Transport Action Group.  The organisation commissioned a comprehensive report from consultants MVA on transport to and from the West Wight area.

Project aim - To improve multi-modal transport through improving facilities for integrating cycling and public transport. The project will be phased, with phase 1 improving integration between cycling and rail travel, and phase 2 between cycling and buses/ferries.

Update- With support from the Department for Transport’s Cycling Challenge Fund local organisation Island 2000 Trust improved cycling facilities at Sandown and Shanklin Stations and launched the Sunshine Trail, a new cycle route around the Sandown/ Shanklin area from these Stations.  Island Line have now upgraded cycling facilities at the other stations.

Project aim – To develop a demand responsive bus route to provide high quality accessible transport to villages to the south and west of Newport. Which are currently un-served/under-served by public transport.

Update- The IW Council have been to date unsuccessful in securing funding for this project, however the RTP will continue to look for funding to support this identified need in the Island’s bus network.